Characterization of Antagonistic Bacillus methylotrophicus Isolated From Rhizosphere and Its Biocontrol Effects on Maize Stalk Rot

Abstract

Stalk rot is one of the most serious and widespread diseases in maize, and effective control measures are currently lacking. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a new biological agent to manage this disease. An antagonistic bacterial strain, TA-1, was isolated from rhizosphere soil and identified as Bacillus methylotrophicus based on morphological and biochemical characterization and 16S ribosomal RNA and gyrB gene sequence analyses. TA-1 exhibited a strong antifungal effect on the growth of Fusarium graminearum mycelium, with 86.3% inhibition at a concentration of 108 CFU per ml. Transmission electron microscopy showed that TA-1 could disrupt the cellular structure of the fungus, induce necrosis, and degrade the cell wall. Greenhouse and field trials were performed to evaluate the biocontrol efficacy of TA-1 on maize stalk rot, and the results of greenhouse experiment revealed that the bacterium significantly reduced disease incidence and disease index. Seeds treated with a 108 CFU ml−1 cell suspension had the highest disease suppression at 86.8%. Results of field trials show that seed bacterization with TA-1 could not only reduce maize stalk rot incidence but also increase maize height, stem diameter, and grain yield. The lipopeptide antibiotics were isolated from the culture supernatants of TA-1 and identified as surfactins and iturins. Consequently, B. methylotrophicus TA-1 is a potential biocontrol agent against maize stalk rot.